Sarah's Secret

by Beverly Scott

Follow the paths of Sarah and Will (or Sam) as they tell their stories of trust, secrets, and betrayal on the frontier in the old West. Their pioneer spirit helped to fuel the expansion into the Western territories of the United States. The two are historically on their separate journeys, yet they remain intimately connected.

In 1878, Will is on the run after killing a man in a barroom gunfight. He escapes the Texas Rangers by joining a cattle drive as a cook headed to Dodge City. He struggles with the dilemma of saving his life or attempting to return to his pregnant wife and five children. Just when he thinks he might be able to return home, he is confronted by a bounty hunter who captures him and plans to return him to Fort Worth, Texas to be hanged.

Although Will changes his name to Sam, he remains an irresponsible, lonely and untrustworthy man on the dodge from the law who abandons the women he loves. He ultimately seeks redemption and marries Sarah.

In 1911, Sarah, a pioneer woman, and a widow with five children, struggles to find the inner strength to overcome betrayal, loneliness, fears, and self-doubt. Her husband, Sam, thirty years her senior, died with a mysterious and defiant declaration, "I won't answer!." Despite poverty and a crippling illness, she draws on her pioneer spirit to hold her family together and return to Nebraska to be near her parents and siblings.

When Sarah returns to Nebraska she receives staggering news which complicates her efforts to support her children. She is shocked, angry and emotionally devastated. Since she is attempting to establish herself in the community as a teacher, she believes she must keep her secret even from her own family. Will Sarah find forgiveness in her heart and the resolve to accept her new life alone?

Paperback

Published December 14, 2016

About the author

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2020 Winner, Independent Press Award, for Western Historical Fiction.

2019 NYC Big Book Award, Distinguished Favorite.

"Sarah’s Secret: A Western Tale of Betrayal and Forgiveness," Bev’s debut novel, is the culmination of her long-held desire tell the family story and confirm the whispered story about her grandfather.

Since her family story left many "loose ends" that will never be discovered, Bev has chosen to create a fictional account that incorporates some of this family story. She ended up with a tale about Sarah and Sam, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the American West.

Bev had specialized in serving executives and managers as a leadership coach and organizational consultant for over thirty-five years. She taught organization psychology and founded "The 3rd Act," a program whose mission supports positive aging. As she grew into her own third act, she started a genealogical journey to uncover the details of her grandparents’ lives. This led to her decision to write a novel, incorporating some of her research into a fictional account. She first published "Sarah's Secret" in print and e-book format in 2017.

Bev previously focused on publishing non-fiction work, including the second edition of "Consulting on the Inside," which she co-authored with Kim Barnes, published in 2011. She has written numerous professional articles and contributed to "70 Things to Do When You Turn 70," edited by Ronnie Sellers and Mark Chimsky.

Bev enjoys traveling, visiting with friends, reading and spending time with her grandsons. She lives with her spouse in San Francisco.

Reviews

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindas Book Obsession Reviews
“SARAH’S SECRETS: A Western Tale of Betrayal and Forgiveness” by BEVERLY SCOTT

Beverly Scott, author of “Sarah’s Secrets” does a wonderful job of describing the setting and plot for this story. Based on the author’s questions of her own family life, Beverly Scott takes us back in time to the 1880s to the old west, and Pioneer days. Life was simple but it was difficult to survive. There were Native Americans (Indians), wild animals, illnesses and the severe weather conditions that made it very difficult to live. It was hard to trust strangers in hard times looking for food or water.
The genres of this story are Fiction, and Historical Fiction, with the author taking poetic license to add the historical details to the fictional characters. There are major secrets and betrayals that will cause conflict with the main characters.
The author describes the characters as complex and complicated, courageous, brave, and struggling with secrets and to stay alive. The author takes us on an adventure as Sarah and Sam tell their stories of their lives in the wild west. Sarah is left as a widow with children to take care of five children after Sam’s death. Sarah is a former school teacher but in these times, single women and widows do not usually get jobs easily. The trip back home to her family is treacherous and dangerous.
Worse of all is the betrayal and consequences that Sarah has to learn to live with.
I liked Sarah and found her to be extremely tolerant and courageous. She was a wonderful caretaker and mother.
I appreciate that the author describes the importance of family, friends, love, hope, faith and forgiveness. I would highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Patricia Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read of longing, commitment and trauma. I was spellbound throughout the entire story. In the flash of one moment, the trajectory of a man’s life and of those who loved and depended on him changes forever. The developing plot draws the reader in as we wait to see how this one action reaches into and impacts the lives of future generations. Set against the backdrop of a post-Civil War nation, when thousands headed west to escape their past, disappear into the horizon, and remake themselves, this biography is a rich study of pioneer ethos and the risks faced every day. The women touched by this man, who kept his secrets close, are heroines of courage, steadfastness and goodness. Beverly Scott is an author who has a way of painting word pictures that make you feel like you are a part of the story as it unfolds towards the discovery of his devastating secrets.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling story with a very rich sense of place and time. Sarah is a great Western woman with the gumption to fend for herself and children when her husband dies. Beverly Scott has created a great heroine, comparable to Mattie Ross in True Grit. Scott's compelling structure keeps the plot moving forward with each page. Loved this book!

[A Holland Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed how this book was the telling of two different people's stories while telling one story. It was also nice to learn that this was based on the author's family's story. You can tell the author did her research when writing this book. The historical details really stood out for me. I liked how she described settings so you can see what she was talking about. Also the characters were developed so that they were real to you. Sarah was a strong person and new what she had to do to survive. This book was a well told story that moved along nicely.

[Erika Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything that is set in the wild west or the plains, and this book definitely had that. The stories of the settlers and their journeys has always fascinated me. Their struggles and hardships were huge but they never gave up. And that's what I love about this book - Sarah loses her husband Sam and has to decide what to do with 5 children and how she will raise them. So they begin a journey across the country to find a better life. But Sam had a secret and uttered something about it to Sarah on his deathbed, something she has yet to figure out. Sarah is lucky she has a few older boys who are able to take charge of a lot of things and help protect the family on their journey - but they are still just boys and she knows that she needs to make sure they have what they need to succeed in this wild world. And without a father figure that is difficult, but even more so when you are facing not only starvation but thieves, wild animals, desperation and other threats.

Okay so enough about all that - as I read this book it completely captivated me. I felt totally immersed in the life and times of Sarah Martin, and throughout the entire book all I could do was wonder what the secret was that her late husband Sam had been keeping from her. How would it affect her and their children? And was it something that was SO bad that she would not be able to forgive him? If you read a lot of literature set in that time period they were very religious, so being able to forgive was something that they were supposed to do. But I still had to wonder if it was bad enough that it would ruin her life. I won't give away the plot but I honestly loved this book - and of course when I did find out what the secret was I was astonished. Of course the book began with Sam being sick so we really didn't get to know much about him or his background - something we come to find out in the later chapters of the book. As it all comes together, Sarah's immense inner and outer strength shines through and she watches her children grow up and continues to do everything she can to take care of them.

In all honesty I have to give this book 5 stars out of 5 - it was amazing and one of the best historical fiction books set in the West that I have read. I highly recommend it for anyone from young adult and up because there is no bad language in the book at all that I noticed. I am definitely going to look for more from Beverly Scott after reading this :) FIVE STAR READ!

***I received a complimentary book for the purpose of reading, I am reviewing because I loved the book, I was not expected nor forced to leave a review and no compensation other than the free book was received***

[Natacha Pavlov · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut historical fiction novel was an enjoyable breeze; hooking you right in with the timely cliff hangers and occasional air of mystery. Based on the author’s family history, she’s done a great job at creating an engaging story set in the late 19th and early 20th century Midwest.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

SARAH’S SECRET is a historical novel set in the western and middle provinces of America. It tells the story of homesteading: the risks people took to go into unknown territories to claim land, to settle in unfamiliar environments and deal with poverty, disease, harsh winters, failing crops and yet, remain in the face of their challenges, determined to prosper and make better lives for their families. This story is harrowing, suspenseful, and heart-felt.

Part one of the book ends, and part two starts by jumping ahead to a different time. Here, the story’s point of view changes from first person to third. For me, this jumping back and forth, while daring and exciting for readers who like to fit puzzle pieces together as they read, is jolting. If I had my druthers, I would have liked for this story to start in chronological order, beginning with part two because that is where the direct action begins, and maintain the same point of view and consistent story tone throughout.

Still and all, this writer is exceptional, writing vivid descriptions of the new country that amaze and excite. The feats of crossing rising rivers with horses and wagons are riveting, the tales of Dodge City and its shadowy temptations is unforgettable— and the human struggle to survive from fevers that kill family members is hair-raising. Most of all, the secret that weaves throughout this book is entrancing, and in the final pages of the book, the conclusion puts to rest the secret that has unsettled generations suffering from it.

This review is based on a pre-copy sent to the reviewer with no promise of a review.

[Kate Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah's Secret, a debut, historical novel by Bev Scott, is at its core, an adventure story of American 19th century pioneer days that brings the reader along dusty trails, through the plains, and into the humble adobes of dugouts and shanty towns. Reminiscent of the Little House on the Prairie books in its vivid and authentic detail of daily life amid the challenges of weather and isolation, Sarah's Secret seeks to tell the truths of frontier life by revealing both its freedoms and vulnerabilities.

Certainly, the frontier offered the freedom to run from the law, to break the law, and to hide secrets. Pioneer women, alone and remote, were often viewed as commodities: the mail order bride, the workhorse, the breeder, destined to a harsh life of drudgery, abuse, and early death. The wives and women in this book are no exception. Yet we see their resilience and independence, a strength born of hardship and tested by obstacles. As both Peggy and Sarah persevere, it becomes their adventure.

Yet, how both male and female characters test the limits of freedom is the central conflict of this book: how their moral compass guides them, their physical conditions change them, and how the long-reaching arm of the law both evades and discovers them. It is a true American story, yet the author allows the well-drawn characters to tell it, scene by scene, as they come to terms with responsibility. This is an excellent book, well-crafted and researched, a mirror to the American past and present.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the old west and I love doing genealogy and discovering my own family. I really loved how this story played out, especially since bits and pieces actually is about Beverly Scott's own family. You follow 2 stories in the book Will or Sam after he changes his name and Sarah. Sam and Sarah are married and have 5 children. Sam is sick and dies shortly into the book and leaves Sarah alone with the kids. Sarah decides to move back home to Nebraska to her family. She goes through a lot, but is strong and muddles through. The one thing in the book is before Sam dies he mumbles something about a secret. I was dying to know that secret. I new it had to be important and huge part of the story. I was right. I won't tell you what it is though. I will tell you I will be looking for more books by Beverly Scott.

[Tommie Whitener · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a compelling taste of what it was like living, loving and dying in the West and on the prairie in the years bracketing the beginning of the twentieth century. Multi-dimensional characters are true to life, with all the complexity the real ones no doubt possessed and the made up ones should have possessed. As I read the book, sometimes I wanted the main protagonist to receive a little more of the "just desserts" that should have been his fate, but justice isn't always meted out in appropriate places.

[Pat Jurgens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story piqued my interest because I've also written a novel about a western woman at the turn of the 20th century (in Colorado.) The landscape was familiar, the women facing unimaginable obstacles was front and center. I loved the characterizations of Sarah and Peggy. I was less interested in Will, perhaps because of his lack of loyalty and indecision. They were all caught up in events they could not control and their survival depended on their adaptability. The inspiration of the author's grandmother kept me reading.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really late getting this review written and am having a hard time remembering just how much I like it. It's the story of a man in the 1800's who abandons a wife and children when he thinks he is in danger of arrest for murder. Goes on to wander the countryside for many years and then hooks up with another woman. Eventually he leaves her too and dies.

[Judy M Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, easy read, Western adventure

No easy answers as Sarah and Will/Sam rebuild their respective lives after unforeseen events. They both seem to have good intentions, mixed results. Set in two eras, the early 1900s in the Plains, still being settled and the late 1870s during the cattle drives. I enjoyed the stories of both characters and how ultimately their lives intertwined.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:

Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"...an insightful tale of one woman’s journey and the experiences she had that defined her strength"

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that SARAH'S SECRET by Beverly Scott is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Joye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our instant world of communication compared.

“Secret” was an interesting fictional look at the complications of living life and communicating with those you love and dealing with property and lack of necessities.

[Eloise Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had recently read Prairie Fires, which gave such a good historical account of the hard times settlers had in surviving during the late 19th century and early 20th century that it whet my appetite for more stories about people’s experience during this time period. The novel is in three parts. The first part chronicles the life of Sarah, a woman with five children, after her husband, Sam, dies and her journey back to her home state of Nebraska. The second part is about a totally different character, Will, who is away from his wife and family who gets in trouble with the law and doesn’t feel it’s safe to go home.
Ah ha, I think, these two will get together, at least in some way, but Will meets another woman and her children in his keeping one step ahead of the law.
The third part returns to Sarah, years later bemoaning the fact her older sons are grown and to her surprise and angst want to leave the nest instead of helping her on her land where she still needs to support the younger children. She discovers an awful truth that creates financial and emotional hardship.
Throughout, Ms. Scott, gives graphic description of the beauty and the hardship of life on the prairies. There seems to be one narrow escape after another.
The novel is an easy quick read despite or because of a fair amount of repetition of especially Sarah’s feelings. I found Will’s claim of wanderlust late in his story surprising as his prior roaming was to avoid the law. I would have guessed him to feel more gratitude for having found a safe place to live out his life.
I highly recommend this book who are interested in tales of real prairie life in the old West, unglamorized by the TV version of Little House on the Prairie.